Page 961 - Week 03 - Wednesday, 17 March 2010
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Regardless of whether we agree or disagree with the amendment, the record needs to show the reasons behind the moving of that amendment.
Ms Bresnan, in moving the amendment, was actually speaking to the substantive motion and not to her amendment as proposed. I would plead with the Assembly to allow Ms Bresnan the opportunity to explain why it is she wished to remove all of the Liberals’ words and substitute her own.
I believe the refusal of people to allow Ms Bresnan leave to address that was petulant. It was not with substantive reason; it was just a fit of pique. I do not believe this chamber is a place for a fit of pique. There was a time when I could rise in this place and, without saying a word, all of those people opposite would shriek and wail and carry on like banshees in a wind, but I had hoped that things had moved on a little bit. I had hoped that this chamber had sort of settled down a little bit. I did not realise that it was, in fact, going to be a playpen for preschoolers to say, “No, you can’t have my toy.” I seek the Assembly’s agreement to allow Ms Bresnan time to put her case.
MS BRESNAN (Brindabella) (11.14): While I thank Mr Hargreaves for his support, I am happy to let this go and not seek leave to speak.
MRS DUNNE (Ginninderra) (11.14): Are we debating the suspension of standing orders?
MADAM DEPUTY SPEAKER: No, Ms Bresnan just said that she is happy to let it go.
MRS DUNNE: What? Well, we’ve now got a question—
MADAM DEPUTY SPEAKER: We still have to vote on it.
MRS DUNNE: We have a question before us, and I would like to speak on this.
MADAM DEPUTY SPEAKER: So the question is that standing orders be suspended.
MRS DUNNE: Madam Deputy Speaker, I want to speak on it.
MADAM DEPUTY SPEAKER: Ms Bresnan already said—
Mr Seselja: Are we withdrawing the motion or not?
Mr Rattenbury: Come on, Vicki, confect an outrage. You can do it.
MRS DUNNE: I don’t need to confect it, actually, because you are a complete disgrace. On the motion, Madam Deputy Speaker, it is a disgrace that we have this motion. We have got a member who is so inept at managing her own amendments that she cannot actually get her act together. She has had a second thought about what it is she wants to say, and when she is not given leave, she does not even have the capacity to run her own suspension of standing orders.
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